Adjustments
by lostinmyownlittleuniverse
Summary: Jemma Simmons is missing, and there are a million questions surrounding her disappearance. But only one needs to be answered- How do they get her back?
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, soo... I decided to write down how I think season 3 may start. Ideally, this is how I'd like it to begin. I have a history of being really bad at keeping my stories updated, so if I'm lacking feel free to go to my tumblr (lost-in-my-own-littleworld) and tell me to get off my lazy arse. I'm open to any suggestions so don't hesitate to suggest anything. Also, shoutout to eponineoswinoswald221 for being a lovely person and for having an awesome username (that avengers/aos fanfic I promised is in process by the way).**

 **Stay cool :) -L x**

 **Disclaimer: Don't own any of this beside the plot line idea, but damn I wish I did how cool would that be?**

* * *

Skye had gone out of her way to stay with Fitz. He was a wreck. So fixated on Jemma and this goddamn rock thing that nothing else mattered to him. Skye and Mack pretty much monitored him 24/7, and neither of them were seeing improvements.

"He's getting worse," Mack kept his voice hushed as he and Skye watched Fitz from out in the corridor.

"I know, but the only thing that could possibly make him better is Simmons, and we don't even know if she's alive!"

A moment of silence passed between them as they watched Fitz through the window. He fumbled around the lab, flipping pages of books, connecting things together, scanning god knows what.

"Just as he was starting to get better..." she seldom muttered under her breath, "do you think Simmons is still alive?"

Mack looked her straight in the eye. "I don't know her well, but she doesn't strike me as someone to go like that. Not with unfinished business. I've got a feeling that she's out there, and we're gonna get her back."

"Yeah, we're gonna get her back."

* * *

Coulson paced in his office at The Playground, rigging his mind of anything that may be remotely helpful. Everyone's mission was to get Simmons back, even though some people thought that they had greater problems to prioritise. Coulson, May, Skye, Fitz and a few others had fought to put Simmons first- and finally they had gotten what they wanted. After all, they were family. A little dysfunctional and messed up, nonetheless, but still family.

"Jemma, where the hell are you?" He whispered to himself, rubbing his only hand against the shadow along his jaw.

Coulson had tracked down two people who he knew were still loyal. There was no way either of them were Hydra or had given up.

 _Not them,_ Coulson thought.

He knew they probably wouldn't be able to help Jemma, that wasn't their area of expertise. However, they were brilliant agents and, more importantly, brilliant friends.

A knock on the door snapped Coulson out of his bubble, and he called out for the person to come in. It was May, unsurprisingly.

"New arrivals at the entrance. Do you want to bring them in?"

"Yes," he answered, "I'll be there right away."

The two made their way down the maze of corridors. They walked in silence, which he knew May preferred, as she characteristically wasn't one to say much, unless it was important.

They bumped into Hunter on the way to the entrance, and Coulson couldn't help but ask about Bobbi.

"She's recovering well, but you know Bobs, she's a fighter. The news about Simmons has put a damper on her though. She's fond of that one. We all are, really."

Coulson offered a small, understanding smile. "We'll get her back though, Hunter. I'm glad to hear Bobbi's getting better."

And with that, they carried on going their separate ways. Hunter was right though- Jemma gone has put a heavy storm cloud over them.

Before he knew it, they were at the entrance.

"Let's get the ball rolling then, shall we?" He ventured, a smile playing on his lips.

"We shall," May replied, pressing the button on the wall panel, the substantial doors creaking to life.

* * *

"Fitz, do you want me to get you something? A drink, a sandwich?" Skye asked, hopeful that he'll actually have a request.

"Nope, I'm just fine," he replied, not looking up from his work. Skye's heart dropped a little more, something she didn't think was possible.

"Are you sure?" She pushed, "You haven't eaten or drunk anything today."

"I said _I'm fine_ , Skye."

She took that as a sign to keep her mouth shut, but her eyebrows knitted together in concern for her friend. He was getting worse, and there was no denying it.

Skye left as Mack came in, their unofficial shift changing. They took it in turns to watch over him, switching over maybe three or four times a day. Skye often spent this time learning to control her newly acquired abilities, conversing with Lincoln or Coulson, or just sitting in one of their vans, keeping to herself.

Today, she visited Bobbi. The blonde was still in the infirmary, although her regulations had been cut back a bit. She was now allowed to walk around the compound by herself, which was a big leap forward.

"Hey," Skye closed the door behind her, and went to lean against the wall opposite Bobbi.

"Hey, Skye. Any news on Simmons?" She shifted herself into an upright position, and Skye was glad she could now do that without wincing in pain.

"No, nothing yet. But Fitz has been working none stop on it. And I mean none stop. The guy's not eating, drinking- I wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't sleeping either."

A sad grimace passed over Bobbi's features, and it was something that Skye had been noticing on everyone recently.

"Poor guy. I didn't know him before what Ward did, but he and Simmons seemed like they were really close."

"Close doesn't begin to describe it. I was convinced those two were psychically linked," she let a giggle escape her lips, "the two of them changed after the bottom of the ocean. After what he said, his brain damage and her leaving, it's no surprise the air between them had changed."

"I get the feeling he got worse when Simmons left."

Skye moved to sit on the chair next to her hospital bed, which creaked under her sudden weight.

"He tried his best to cover it up, he really did. But everyone noticed how he spoke to himself, as if Simmons was there and he was having a conversation with her-"

Just then, Hunter popped his head in, swinging himself around the doorframe. "Afternoon, girlies," he greeted, "Coulson's got some arrivals. And you will probably want to meet them."

"Who are they?" Bobbi asked, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

Hunter grinned his customary smile. "Oh just you wait and see."


	2. Chapter 2

**THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IV'E HAD TO RE UPLOAD THIS BECAUSE IM A NOOB. I've been on this website for a while now and I still don't understand it. Ridiculous.**

 **This chapter is longer and it was more difficult, but don't worry I'VE STARTED CHAPTER 3. Ah, yes, I'm winning at life. Thanks to everyone who reviewed last time, it's great to hear your lovely thoughts about something that probably isn't even that good but oh well. SO THANK YOU AND ENJOY THIS CHAPTER :)**

 **-L x**

* * *

"Barton, Romanoff, it's nice to see you," Coulson beamed at the new arrivals. He could see the corners of May's lips curving upwards in his peripheral vision.

"It's nice to see you _alive_ , Coulson," Natasha smirked, "Tahiti get boring in the end?"

"It's kind of a long story. Come, I'll show you around."

The four entered the facility, where it was time for a game of catch up.

"I heard you were back in the field, May," the archer recalled, "Honestly, I thought it was one of those rumors the junior agents like to spread around."

"You can take the girl out of the field, but you can't take the field out of the girl," she quipped back, "and initially I was only meant to be the pilot."

Coulson looked over to Natasha and Clint. "Our team went through some... rough patches. There was a HYDRA agent, one has brain damage, another turned out to be inhuman, I lost my hand," he lifted his arm up a bit, "and we currently have someone, um... Stuck in an alien artifact."

The looks he got in return were shock ridden. Only then, when he put it like that, did he realise how much shit his team had gone through.

"Shit, Coulson," Clint winced.

"They're good kids though- well beside the HYDRA agent. Don't mention him, by the way, it's a sensitive subject."

"Who was it?" Natasha asked.

He sighed, long and deep. "Grant Ward, specialist. Two of our team were in a med pod, and he dropped them straight into the ocean from the plane. Like I said, left one of them with brain damage."

A disgusted look crossed over Natasha's features. "I've never liked Ward. Word spread that he was getting up to my standards-"

"Not even close," May cut in.

By the time they'd caught up on each other's lives, the quartet had made it to Fitz's lab. Mack was currently with him, but it looked like he had given up on making conversation a while ago.

May opened the doors and the four walked in, raising Mack's attention, but not Fitz's.

"I didn't know Strike Team: Delta were coming here. It's good to see you're not Hydra scum," Mack pushed himself off the lab top and made his way over to them.

The mention of Strike Team: Delta made Fitz lift his head, his lips parting a little in shock when he realised who he was looking at.

"This is Leo Fitz, one of the scientists that was on my team," Coulson introduced, praying that neither of them mentioned his missing half. Or his brain damage.

Fitz gave them a nod of acknowledgement and carried on with whatever he was doing.

"It's good to see you're not Hydra scum either, Mack. Who else ex-S.H.I.E.L.D do we have here?" Natasha retorted.

"We have Bobbi Morse, and you've probably heard the name Lance Hunter."

"Jemma Simmons," Fitz muttered.

Natasha and Clint sent Coulson wary looks, and he shook his head slightly as a warning.

Coulson went to clap his hands together, but realised he only had one, so he cleared his throat. "Well, let's find Bobbi and Skye. I hope your work is going well, Fitz."

"Thank you, sir."

May left after that to check on the security, so it was just Coulson, Natasha and Clint.

"Jemma Simmons is the one who's currently missing. No one understands what happened, we've got it on tape and everything," Coulson explained once out of earshot, "I take it you've heard of Fitzsimmons?"

"Hasn't everyone?" Clint rubbed his chin, as if he was in deep thought, "engineering and biochem, right?"

"You got it. Those were the two that Ward dropped out of the plane. Bastard."

Natasha shook her head, her red curls bouncing on her shoulders. "You think you know people."

* * *

Bobbi sat cross legged on her hospital bed- she'd gotten so used to it she claimed it as her own now- and fiddled with the ends of her hair. She wore her favourite _Star Wars_ tee and a pair of black leggings.

"I had my last operation a week ago," she huffed, "I don't know why they still have to keep me here."

Skye raised an eyebrow. "You were subjected to torture and then shot in the chest. They're gonna keep you in until they're sure you can run a mile without breaking a sweat."

Hunter shifted in the chair he'd brought in from outside, adjusting his slouch. "Also, you have a history of letting on that you're better than you actually are. But I think that's a S.H.I.E.L.D Agent trait."

"You should've seen me after Ian Quinn shot me twice in the stomach," Skye recalled, a little unpleasantly, "Simmons wouldn't even let me leave the hospital bed. I'd stick my legs over the side and bam- there she was, ordering me to stay put."

"You were shot by Ian Quinn?"

She nodded, a bit arrogantly. But before she could say anything she was, somewhat rudely, interrupted.

"It wasn't pleasant. That was one of the scariest moments I've ever experienced- and I've been stabbed by an Asgardian then brought back to life," Coulson was at the door, smiling at the trio, "We have new arrivals. Hunter, Skye, I'd like you to meet Agents Barton and Romanoff. Bobbi, I believe you already know them."

There was a new light in the blonde's eyes, and a smile quickly spread across her face.

"You bet I do! I haven't seen you two in ages!" She got up and, as quickly as she could, engulfed the red head in a hug. She gave one to the man too, but not for quite as long.

Meanwhile, Hunter sat there in utter shock- they were Avengers, after all- and Skye had donned a very confused look. The two looked vaguely familiar to her, but she couldn't quite pin point where from.

The other woman laughed. "Bobbi Morse, what have you gotten yourself into now? Please tell me you haven't been taking bullets for people again."

The man squinted his eyes at her. "She almost definitely has. I thought after Paris you'd stop doing that? You said you would!"

Bobbi tilted her head to the side, crossing her arms over her chest. "Well, I'm alive, aren't I?"

"Barely," Hunter added.

"I'm sorry to interrupt this- this," Coulson gestured to the three agents, waving his arms around, "Whatever this is. But Barton and Romanoff have to be debriefed."

The red head winked at Bobbi. "Don't worry, I'll be back for a proper catch up."

Once they'd left, Hunter turned on Bobbi, a mix of shock and incredulity on his face. "You never said you were friends with _Avengers_!"

"It never came up," she shrugged.

A realisation passed over Skye, and she looked slightly horrified with herself. "Oh," she breathed, "that's why they looked familiar." Once she had regained herself, she asked, "Black Widow and Hawkeye?"

Bobbi nodded, while Hunter just shook his head.

"What, have you been living in the back of a van for the past three years?"

Skye opened her mouth to retort, but then she realised that that was precisely what she had been doing. "Actually- yes. And it was a really nice van."

* * *

Later on in the day, somewhere around seven in the evening, everyone had grouped together. Pizza had been bought, and there was a calm demeanor in the room, something that hadn't been evident in the passing weeks. Skye and Mack shared a pleasing look when they saw that Fitz was finally eating. It looked like a normal scene; Bobbi, Natasha and Clint chatted animatedly between them; Hunter stayed a little further back, keeping his eyes trained on Bobbi; Mack and Fitz discussed something quietly with May and Coulson; Lincoln and Skye sat in comfortable silence next to each other. Of course, there was a Jemma shaped hole missing in their gathering, and the absence of her soft accent and warm smile was greatly missed.

There was a noise that sounded like a glass being chinked, and the conversation immediately died out, everyone turning their heads to focus on Coulson.

"Wow, that didn't take as long as I expected," he remarked, then quickly gained his thoughts again, "so, as you all know, we have new guests. This is a big step in rebuilding S.H.I.E.L.D, and we should take this as a sign that we are heading in the right direction. Once we get Simmons back, we'll start doing what we do best- saving the world."

And he sounded so hopeful that he almost convinced everyone that they would be able to recover her.

Almost.

* * *

The next morning, Skye found herself standing just outside the lab, watching Fitz fumble around with a newfound energy, which she took as a good sign. She couldn't say how long she'd been standing there, and it wasn't until a velvety voice spoke from behind her that she realised time had passed.

"He's determined."

Skye turned around and found herself looking straight at Agent Romanoff. Feeling a little overwhelmed, a small laugh escaped her lips.

"Yeah, that's Fitz. Most determined one here- well, aside from Simmons."

The red head came to stand next her. "Natasha, by the way. It's Skye, right?"

"That's me. Some people call me Quake, but that seems to be more of a pet name," she stole a split second glance at Natasha, whom was looking at Fitz with curiosity, "I know he may seem like he's unapproachable and reclusive, but he's one of the best people I know. He's just... Simmons is his everything, and he just wants her back. We all do."

Natasha raised an eyebrow elegantly. "Are they-?"

"Dating?" Skye cut in, "Honestly, I don't know. All I know is that they both have feelings for each other. And they're perfect together."

A smile appeared on Natasha's face. "I never spoke or even saw them when S.H.I.E.L.D was still standing. Obviously, operations and sciences don't mix. You still knew who they were though."

Part of Skye would have loved to see them before they went into the field. But, then again, she loved them for who they are now, and she felt like she didn't need to know what they were like before.

"So," Skye starts, in the mood for striking up a conversation, "are you from the academy like the others?"

She let out a low chuckle. "No, no. Clint and I are both special cases. We didn't go to the academy."

"Oh, me neither. They picked me up off the streets- literally. It's weird to think that not so long ago I was in the back of a van, working with The Rising Tide _against_ S.H.I.E.L.D."

Natasha smiled at her, then looked to the ground, smirking a little. "I should probably go and train with Clint, but it was good talking to you."

Just as she turned to leave, Skye replied, "it was good talking to you too," then turned her attention back to the engineer, who was working furiously now.

Skye decided to sit in the lab, in her usual position on one of the countertops. She was only there for a short while before Fitz broke the silence.

As soon as he shouted out, she spun around to face the rock. It's surface rippled, but it didn't collapse into liquid like usual. Fitz stood still in shock, the device in his hand crashing to the floor.

Simmons lay unmoving at the base of the rock.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! Sorry for not uploading yesterday, I** **usually do Sundays, but I woke up at midday and didn't get much done. So it's going to be Sundays/Mondays, because I'm on holiday tomorrow and won't be back until Monday. Don't worry, I'm getting my friend to upload it for me, so you'll get a chapter. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's not the best, I'll admit, but still. Leave a review if you want, and I'm open to any suggestions.**

 **Stay cool -L x**

Hunter was making his way to see Bobbi when he heard shouts erupt in the lab. Alarmed, he broke into a jog, his heart beating faster against his ribcage. He burst into the lab, only to find Skye and Fitz with their backs towards him, crouching over something on the floor.

"What's going on-" Hunter stopped when he saw that they were leaning over _Jemma_ , "Bloody hell! Is she alive?" He ran over to them, and noticed that Skye's eyes were watery.

"She's got a pulse and she's breathing," Skye panted, "but she's freezing. We need to get her medical attention."

Fitz remained silent, staring speechless at Jemma's unmoving body. His hand gripped one of hers tightly.

"Skye, go get Coulson and the others. I'll carry Simmons, and Fitz run ahead and set everything up," Hunter ordered. He carefully put an arm under her legs, and the other under shoulders, then lifted her up. She was shockingly light, despite her usual small frame.

Skye ran out of the lab and down the corridor, where as Fitz lingered next to Jemma.

"You be careful with her," he said, and dashed off, earning an eye roll from Hunter. With Jemma in his arms, he ran after Fitz.

* * *

Coulson was going over plans with Natasha and Clint when Skye ran into the room, heaving and a sheen of sweat on her forehead.

"It's-the rock- Simmons-she's," Skye could barely string a sentence together.

"Time. Breathe, Skye," Coulson grabbed her shoulders, keeping her still.

She inhaled. "Simmons. Here. Alive."

"Oh my god," Coulson stuttered, "Where is she?"

"Medical, with Hunter and Fitz. She's breathing and has a pulse, but her body temperature is too low."

"Right," he turns to the two assassins behind him, "debriefing is over, you have the morning off."

They ran to medical, leaving behind a very confused Natasha and Clint. When they got there, Jemma was in the hyperbaric chamber.

"Is she injured?" Coulson half shouted.

"No," Fitz replied, still focused on working the settings, "but this thing has temperature control, so it's quicker if we put her in here."

Coulson ambled over, putting one hand on the glass separating him from the biochemist.

"Will she be alright?"

Bobbi was standing next to Hunter, maybe a little closer than usual. "We hope so," she folded her arms across her chest.

Fitz exhaled. "Right, her temperature is going back up. She looks a bit... um... malnourished. We'll need to put fluids in her when she's stable enough to be moved to a bed."

May came in at that point, and crossed the room to stand next to the chamber. She put the heel of her hand on her forehead, a grimace passing over her face. "She's just a kid."

Coulson put his hand on her shoulder. "But she's back. Can one of you explain what happened?"

Fitz, Skye and Hunter shared glances with each other, until Fitz audibly swallowed and recalled what had happened. "One minute she wasn't there, and the next the stone was rippling and she was lying on the floor in front of it. Hunter then came in, and he carried her here. I thought it was best to put her in the chamber because it's the safest place," he shrugged, resembling a lost puppy.

Coulson looked around at everyone, who had equally confused faces. "Well, we've got Simmons back at least. Fitz, Skye, stay here and keep her monitored. Bobbi you can help them, seeing as you're just next door. Everyone else can get back to what they were doing." With one last glance back at unconscious Jemma, he turned to leave, May on his heels. Fitz pulled up a chair and sat down, right next to the chamber.

"You don't have to stay here if you don't want to, guys," he looked up sheepishly.

Skye scoffed and mimicked Fitz's movements by pulling up a chair. "One of my best friends returned from the unknown. I'm staying right here."

Hunter and Bobbi looked at each other and shrugged, both just sitting on the ground where they'd just stood.

"Simmons has her little family watching over her," grinned Skye, tipping her head back in glee.

* * *

Bobbi and Hunter had been sent on sandwich break duty. It was now midday, and no one could ignore the rumbling of tummies. The excitement had left everyone feeling rather drained.

Bobbi looked through the cupboards for anything to put on a sandwich. After an unlucky rummage, she signed. "Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches it is then. We could almost be back in kindergarten!"

Hunter turned towards her, shaking his head. "It's _jam_ and _nursery_."

"Whatever, Prince Charles."

The two made a stack of sandwiches in relative silence, only pausing occasionally for a little bit of banter. Once a mighty pile of pb&js had been made, they brought it in to Skye and Fitz, who hadn't moved an inch. But their faces lit up as if it was Christmas, and they ate while chatting. The mood had lightened considerable once they all had full stomachs, and everything seemed relatively normal until you registered that Simmons was in a hyperbaric chamber unconscious.

Fitz stood up, brushing his hands on his trousers and letting the crumbs fall to his feet.

"Her temperature has been stable for a while now. I think it's safe to move her. She has no obvious injuries or things that should be concerning," he places a hand over the glass, "I'll run some tests once she's out. You know, blood and DNA tests."

Fitz opened the chamber, and Hunter came to carry her to a hospital bed. Once she was settled- Skye had insisted that they made her as comfortable as possible- and hooked up to an IV unit, Fitz brought out the equipment to run the tests.

Bobbi chewed her lip. "So, she's stable now?"

"We think," the Scot mumbled.

"Okay, I'm going to go to the training rooms. But we take turns watching her, alright?"

After a series of nods, and Hunter saying he'll accompany her, she left. Skye and Fitz worked in silence for a while, until Skye stopped to look at Jemma.

"She doesn't look different, does she?"

He shook his head. "She looks the exact same as she did when she disappeared. Same clothes and everything," he drew some blood from her, wincing a little as he did so, "I'll take these to the lab."

Skye gave him a weak, but hopeful, smile. "I'll take the first watch."

Just as he started to leave, Skye spoke up. "She couldn't have done it without you. Remember that, okay?"

He nodded.

* * *

Natasha didn't know Jemma.

She knew she was British and a brilliant scientist, but other than that? Not much.

However, the compulsion to visit the younger woman was eating away at her. It's the least she could do, after all.

Which is how she found herself sitting opposite Skye, an unconscious Jemma between them. They chatted softly, as if Jemma was asleep and they didn't want to wake her. Skye told Natasha all about Simmons- quirks, habits, memories.

"She gets along with pretty much everyone so long as they're decent people," Skye disclosed, "but she's protective over the people she loves. Although, it's not always obvious when she's being protective and it comes across as something entirely different sometimes. I think she just wants to do her best though, like everyone."

Natasha nodded thoughtfully. "She seems like a trustworthy person. You don't get many of those in this business."

"Oh, I could trust Simmons with my life- so long as I let her do secret scientific experiments."

The red head pursued her lips, her fingers slightly tapping the arm of the chair. It was a classic spy look, one that showed no emotion and didn't provoke anything. "She sounds like Clint, to be honest. I've known him for years, and he's always wanted to do what's best, even if it's sacrificing himself to save a load of people. Thinking about that, I think Rogers did that once too."

Skye's eyes lit up. "Simmons jumped out of the bus without a parachute on when she was infected with a Chitauri virus. They thought they couldn't find an anti-serum, but one of them started to work just as she jumped. Ward parachuted out after her, actually."

"Well, from what I've heard about her, she could easily be an Avenger. Her field skills may need to be brushed upon though."

Before Skye could reply, Fitz walked in with worry etched on his face. His hands, holding a tablet tightly, shook slightly, and he looked like he was trying his best to keep calm.

"Um, Skye, can I talk to you outside for a bit?" His voice trembled.

Natasha stood up, her red curls bouncing. "Don't worry, I'll go and find Bobbi," with a quick smile towards the two, she left.

Fitz exhaled loudly, and handed the tablet to Skye. The tablet showed a normal DNA strand, then next to it, one of her own DNA strands.

"Fitz," she handed him back the tablet, "why are you showing me my own DNA?"

He shoved it into her hands again. "Skye, _that's not yours._ "

She looked at the screen, then at Jemma.

"It's hers."

* * *

"So, what you're saying is that Simmons now has Skye's DNA?" Coulson asked incredulously.

Fitz grumbled frustratingly. "No, Simmons has DNA _like_ Skye. As in inhuman."

"Lincoln may be the best person to go to right now, I can go and ask him?" Skye input.

"Thank you, Skye. Fitz, we can't do anything until she wakes up. So, for now, we wait until then before making any plans," the older man rubbed his hand over the shadow on his jaw. It was going to be a long few days.

No one was surprised when Hunter came sprinting in, not at all out of breath. Everyone seems to be running everywhere these days.

"Sleeping beauty's awake," he announced.

The tablet hit the floor with a loud crash and Fitz was out the door before anyone could even register what Hunter had said.

* * *

Jemma woke with a pounding headache and a feeling that her body weighed a thousand tons. She expected to wake up to blindingly bright lights, but was pleasantly surprised when the lighting was dimmed. Still, it didn't stop the shouting that ringed in her ears.

Turning her head to the side, her eyes met with a blonde woman's. It took her a few moments to realise it was Bobbi.

"Bobbi?"

She smiled and gently pushed Jemma's hair away from her forehead. "Hey, Simmons. You're home."

Jemma propped herself up on her elbows, her arms shaking a little. "Why is everyone shouting?" She spoke in a quiet voice, everything coming out as a murmur.

"No one's shouting, it's silent apart from us two."

Blinking groggily, she looked around. "Home?"

"Yeah, home."

"Then where's Fitz?"

A small smile spread across Bobbi's face. Of course she'd ask that. "Hunter's gone to get him, don't worry."

"Are you sure no one's shouting?" She could definitively hear shouts in her ears.

"Positive. Why?"

"I can hear people shouting. Like, six or seven people at once, it's making my head hurt."

Bobbi's eyebrows knitted in concern. What was Jemma hearing that she wasn't? Her concern for the other woman spiked, and her head filled with questions.

"Jemma," Fitz breathed, slightly out of breath and very taken aback at the sight before him. He stood in the doorway, one hand on the doorframe and the other on the back of his head.

"Fitz," a smile tugged on her lips, and she pushed her aching body into an upright position, ignoring the way her muscles screamed in protest. It felt like he had crossed the space between them in a matter of seconds, and had enveloped her in a bear hug. She had immediately responded, only to find that a shiver went down her spine, accompanied with a warmth slowly spread from her gut and her vision blurring like someone had smeared vaseline over her eyes.

She felt firm hands on each side of her face, and some distance voices, but apart from that it was all blur and emotions.

 _Relief._

 _Relief._

 _Relief._

The word repeated in her head as if it was telling her something. It's just that the word went as quickly as it came, and before she could begin to comprehend what had happened her eyesight came back and she was staring at Fitz.

"Jemma, what's wrong?"

Bobbi had left the room, so it was just the two of them.

"N-nothing, I'm fine," she rolled her eyes, "well, you know, I hurt all over and I feel exhausted, but I'm fine."

His thumb gently brushed across her cheek bone, and a lump formed in her throat. "You don't have to talk about it, okay? Don't let Coulson or May or anyone push you into talking about it if you don't want to," he stumbled over his words a bit, but nothing brought her more comfort than to hear is soft voice.

She doesn't really remember leaning in, however she was sure it was her who made the first move. There was something in the way that his mouth molded into hers, something that made her feel foreign emotions. It was rare for her to feel everything and nothing at once. And while it was confusing and scary and new, she wasn't really surprised that she was feeling that way.

Jemma pulled away, after what felt like an eternity, but was only a few seconds. Her face was still close to Fitz; it was close enough for his breath to stir her hair and for his heartbeat to be visible at his throat.

"We still need to go on that date," she said, simply.

"Yeah, we do."


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! I'm the friend who is uploading today and I don't really know how this works so I apologise profusely if I get anything wrong. I have read this and edited it and** **everything and I really enjoyed it so I hope that you do too. Also, if you think that this has been edited better than the other chapters tell Libby because it means I read everything in advance and that would be fab. Have a great day and enjoy your new chapter!**

 **\- L/G x**

* * *

Jemma was a few days into her hospital bed rest, which had its ups and downs. She got to catch up on her favourite programmes and watch a lot of movies, but she did miss her lab and being able to walk around the facility.  
 _At least you're not in quarantine,_ she told herself. _At least you get to see your friends._  
Another perk of being in bed 24/7 was that Fitz came to see her a lot. Half of his waking hours would usually be spent in her hospital room, and no one had the heart to tell him otherwise because he hadn't been this happy since before the bottom of the ocean.  
The day after she had woken up, Fitz came in armed with a laptop and a bowl of popcorn. He was a little nervous, but he managed to push his anxiety to the side.  
"Hey, Jem. I thought- um- maybe we could watch _Doctor Who_ today? We haven't really done it in a while, and I guess I kinda miss it. We don't have to though."  
She smiled brightly and pushed herself up into a sitting position, shuffling over to one side of the bed. "No, no, I'd love to. It's been too long. And I see you brought snacks."  
He opened the laptop screen and began typing away. "Well, you shouldn't really be eating solids until you're fully stable. But it's just popped corn kernels, so where's the harm in that? Anyway, it's nice to break the rules once in a while." The excited grin that appeared on his face made Jemma laugh- only he'd get excited about breaking a little rule like that.  
Once he'd gotten Doctor Who up, he eyed the space she'd made and raised an eyebrow, looking at her then back at the empty spot, silently asking for permission. In response, she nodded slightly and a small smile appeared on her face. She looked completely normal, but Fitz knew that something inside of her was different. If only she exhibited any _slight_ change, maybe Fitz would have something to work with.  
Before he started the programme, he turned to Jemma. "So, you're alright? No abnormal changes or-"  
"I'm fine, honestly," she said. "I don't feel any different."  
"Okay, that's good." After earning a look from her, he added, "No, really, that's good. Remember, don't go answering any questions until you're ready. Don't let anyone-"  
She sighed in exasperation. "Don't let anyone pressure me into talking about something that I'm not comfortable with yet. Yes, Fitz, _I_ _know_." She bit her lip nervously. "But I don't have anything to talk about; I don't remember anything. Nothing at all."  
"Really?"  
"Really," Jemma confirmed, "I remember being in a room with you and the stone, then I remember waking up in this bed. It's like when you're little, and you fall asleep on the couch and magically wake up in bed the next morning."  
"Oh," he spoke quietly, his eyes staring off into the distance. After a moment or two, he seemed to snap out of his daze. "Well, are we going to watch the greatest show on Earth or what?"

* * *

Skye woke at around one in the morning, an irrational feeling of fear hanging over her like a storm cloud. She was in her room, at the playground, and there was nothing to he scared of.  
Right?  
She pushed her comforter off her legs, noticing how her skin felt feverish. Strands of her now short hair stuck to her temples with sweat. Her body tingled all over, and she could hear a buzzing in her ear.  
What was going on?  
Skye swung her legs out of bed, and before she even knew it she was heading towards Coulson's office.  
Unsurprisingly, he was awake, at his desk with a steaming cup of coffee in front of him. His tie was off, and the top buttons of his shirt undone.  
"Skye, what's-"  
"Is it just me or do you feel completely and utterly terrified?"  
Coulson regarded her with a confused look, almost like he understood yet hadn't quite put his finger on what she meant. "No, but now you say that I do feel kinda on edge."  
Concern etched itself on the young girl's face. "We need to wake the others. Something's wrong."  
Fitz was already awake, having woken up from a strange dream he'd been having. May was awake also, silently sitting in the cockpit of the bus. Bobbi had snuck into Hunter's room, which didn't shock Skye all that much, but made her raise an eyebrow at the pair, and Mack, Lincoln, Clint and Natasha were in their respective rooms.  
Once all gathered, Skye discovered that she and Coulson weren't the only ones feeling like something was wrong. Well, apart from their resident assassins.  
"So you feel, just, normal?" Coulson asked.  
They shrugged. "No different from how we'd normally feel after being woken up at half one in the morning."  
"Sorry about that," Skye apologised.  
However, while everyone else felt only slightly distressed, Skye and Fitz were the ones who'd woken up in full alarm.  
Fitz clicked his fingers. "We're missing someone. Jemma. We're missing Jemma."  
"Wait," Coulson stopped him before he could leave, "Skye, Lincoln, go with him." He sent a quick, knowing look to the three, and they all knew what he meant by it.  
"Does he think it's Jemma that's doing this?" Skye asked, once they were out of earshot.  
"It's not a long shot," replied Lincoln, "we don't know what her abilities are, and I had speculated that she was inhuman- the rock only reacts to our kind."  
Jemma looked no different, asleep in her hospital bed, honey brown hair fanned across the pillow under her head. It was only when they got closer did they realise that her skin was damp and there were silent tears running from the corners of her eyes.  
"It's her," Lincoln said confidently, "she's doing it."  
Fitz, seemingly ignoring Lincoln, pushed the door open to Jemma's room. The noise disturbed her, and her eyes blinked open.  
"What's going on?"  
Fitz forced a smile onto his face, feeling the muscles in his body relax and the fear washing away. A look back to Skye confirmed that she no longer felt it either.  
"Nothing, everything's fine, Jem. Are you alright?"  
She wiped the back of her hand across her eyes. "It was- okay, it was just a bad dream."  
Skye came over next to the other girl, resting a hand on her shoulder. "You wanna talk about it or...?"  
She shook her head. "No, no, I'll tell you about it."  
Lincoln sat at the end of the bed, and Fitz and Skye sat either side of Jemma. The Brit looked around for confirmation to start, and after a round of nods, she began.  
"I'm awake, on a table, and everything is white. The floors, the walls, the sheets. Everything. And it's bright, enough to make you squint.  
There are IVs attached to me, some of them carrying clear liquid, others blue. The scientist in me kicked in, and I tried to read the labels to see what chemicals they were, but I couldn't read the language. It wasn't even letters, just symbols. I panicked, and something started to beep. Then a man comes in and says-"  
"'You're ready for the change now'," Fitz quotes, his eyes meeting Jemma's, mouth open slightly.  
She regards him with a bewildered look. "Yes, but how did you...?"  
"I had the same dream."  
Skye looked at Lincoln, who looked like he'd had an idea for a while.  
Lincoln cautiously made his way to stand next to Jemma, his hand outstretched. "Simmons, I want you to hold my hand, and think of a really good memory. The best you have. Focus on that memory and the feel of my hand, okay? Close your eyes if it helps, and we all keep quiet."  
She took his hand in hers and closed her eyes, searching her mind to find a good memory. She smiled as she thought of one, but only did Fitz and Skye see that as she smiled, so did Lincoln.  
They broke hands, and Jemma looked towards Lincoln, searching for answers.  
Lincoln, however, raised an eyebrow at the other two in the room. "You didn't tell her in the first place, did you?"  
Fitz inhaled sharply, and a guilty look passed over Skye's face.  
"Tell me what?" Jemma demanded.  
"Well," Fitz nervously wrung his hands together, "when you came out of the rock, we ran a few mandatory tests on you...one of those being a DNA test. It came back... Not quite the same as it was before. As in... Well... You're like Skye, like Lincoln."  
"Inhuman?"  
He nodded slowly, biting his lower lip nervously. Skye's eyes flicked between the other three, apprehensive about how Jemma would take it.  
After perhaps the longest few seconds of their lives, Jemma finally nods. "Okay."  
Skye let out a breath she didn't realise she was holding, Fitz ran a hand through his hair and Lincoln simply smiled.  
"So if I'm Inhuman, what bloody thing do I do then?"  
Lincoln perched on the edge of her bed, suddenly going into doctor mode. "You seem to have something like emotional manipulation. So far you can make people feel what you're feeling, but there's a strong chance that, with training, you can do a lot more than that."  
Skye shifted in her seat, excitement coursing through her veins. "Maybe it depends on how close you are to someone. I mean, out of everyone here, you're closest to Fitz and me. Explains why Fitz saw your dream too, and why I woke up in a panic. Everyone else just felt on edge, and Clint and Natasha didn't even feel anything because _they don't know you_."  
Fitz gasped. "Skye, you're a genius!"  
Jemma held up a hand, lips pursed, eyes focused. "Wait a minute, am I hearing wrong, or did you just say Clint and Natasha, as in _Hawkeye and Black Widow_?"  
Skye waved her hand dismissively. "Oh yeah, we have Avengers here. No biggie. Natasha came to visit you while you were unconscious, actually, but Coulson's kept them so busy neither of them have had the chance to see you since you've woken up."  
"Bloody hell. _We have Avengers_ _here!_ "  
Fitz shook his head, but his grin was still visible. "Back to the point," he pushed on, "Coulson is the only other one who knows apart from us, but I guess we should tell the others as well."  
"Yeah, they'll be pissed if we leave them out," Skye added.  
All of a sudden, Jemma felt extraordinarily tired. She yawned and felt her eyes drooping.  
Fitz noticed this and gestured for the two others to leave. Although Skye raised an eyebrow, they both left.  
Quickly, as to not raise suspicion, he softly dropped a kiss on Jemma's forehead, and closed the door behind him.  
Needless to say, she fell asleep with a smile on her face.


End file.
